________________________________________

BITTERSWEET
:: xxxvi. | fire with fire

Only a few days had passed since Vanessa and Cole went into witness protection. The team was still keeping an eye on Miguel and looking through all the footage from those planted bugs. Considering how long the bugs probably been there, there's a lot of footage to get through.

They all sat in the conference room watching the tv that played the footage. As they watched, jj's mind wandered to when she confronted Vanessa and how she didn't want any of of that aired out. Then there was also derek, who had a bit of a relationship with Vanessa which he didn't want aired out either.

He snatched the controller from the middle of the table, "Actually, let's speed this up a bit."

Rossi passed him a look, "Anything you want to share, Morgan?"

He gulped, "No."

"Then by all means." Rossi gestured towards the tv.

Morgan let out another sigh as he pressed play and as soon as his finger lifted, moans were heard from the speaker. Everyone awkwardly glanced toward Derek who was sinking into his seat from embarrassment.

The best thing would to skip but they don't want to accidentally run over anything that could be important, so everyone sucked it up and sat there for the three minutes of horrible music to their ears.

Thirty minutes had gone by and there they sat still going through the recordings. As they thought they were getting nowhere, the door opened and Strauss walked in. She asked for Hotch to step out for a moment. Just when Hotch steps out, that's when Emily mentions,

"I think we got something."

Rossi got up and opened the door, telling Hotch they found something. Hotch then told Strauss he will come by later to finish their talk before walking back into the conference room, behind rossi.

He stayed standing behind the round table, "What did we find?"

Emily rewinded back only about a minute and a half before pressing play. Everyone was intently listening again and so was Hotch. Each word was like a punch in the gut to Morgan and jareau because they care and want to protect Vanessa so much — but also cause Miguel knew. He knew of her relationships with with them both, even though nothing really happened with jj, he still knew how she felt.

"Trust me she doesn't suspect anything, she's too wrapped up with that agent Morgan guy. But in all and all, she really craves for agent jareau." The call continued, "I'll get the package in one piece as long as you still keep her from talking." Soon concluded, "Yeah, yeah, see you at ten and be discreet because I know how you are."

Emily soon paused the video as Hotch spoke, "What's the time stamp?"

Reid squinted his eyes at the screen, "April 14th, 2006."

"What you want us to do?" Derek turned to his superior.

Hotch looked amongst his team, "Morgan, prentiss, go to the airport and stop Bethany brown from getting on that plane. Jj and rossi, go back to Miguel's old place and Vanessa's, there has to be something we're missing." He soon concluded, "Spencer, keep looking through the audio footage and Garcia, could you locate Mrs. Reigns for me?"

"Yes, sir." Garcia quickly got up, leaving out the door with everyone else.

Hotch followed Garcia to her tech room because as soon as she finds where Mabel is, he needs to take action quickly. He also knew Miguel's mother was hiding something and he was going to do everything he could to know what it was and why.

• • •

As the agents continued to find leads, vansssa was making her and Cole a little snack in the kitchen. She was preparing avocado toast with a little pepper flakes and hot sauce because the reigns girls like it spicy. She was just wrapping up, cleaning dishes as she went when Cole walked into the kitchen.

"We still going out for groceries?"

"How about an hour?" Vanessa faced her daughter with two plates, "I made a little snack for us."

Cole approached the counter and took her plate from her mom. She carried it to the table and soon her mom followed behind, sitting across from her. The two began to eat their little snack in silence. It wasn't because they didn't have anything to say, it was the complete opposite. Cole knew her mom was just putting up a front to be strong for her which she understood, but sometimes it's best to feel the emotions rather than just hold them in.

As Cole took another bite of her toast, she looked up at her mom, "I'm sorry about dad."

Vanessa didn't say anything at first. She wanted to speak but she didn't know what to say. She hated her daughter's father — she just didn't know how to tell her that. Not that she wants too but she can tell that Cole wants her to open up.

Vanessa stayed staring down at her food, "You're not going to like what I have to say."

"I'm fine with that. Dad hurt you — you must feel . . . " Cole couldn't really find the words to describe her mother.

Vanessa mumbled, "He hurt you too."

Cole nodded, "By hurting you. You gave him so many years of your life and he just throws it away for some side bitch he met in Spain?!" Cole was growing angry by just thinking about it.

"Cole, language." Her mother spoke softly.

"I'm serious, mom. What right did she have to tell you any of this? What did she get of hurting you?" Cole happened to ask questions that Vanessa didn't even think about till right then.

Vanessa looked up at her daughter with her brows furrowed, "I'm going to make a call, then we'll head out. Ok?"

Vanessa got up from the table and walked to the next room, pulling the phone that the agent gave her out her back pocket. She opened it and pressed the agent's number that was on speed dial. She then brought the phone up to her ear and waited till it answered.

"Vanessa, is everything ok?" The agent spoke on the other line.

"I know you're not allowed to tell me anything but I need to know two things. Please?"

He sighed on the other line.

"Please? I hate being in the dark." She pleaded.

Another sigh left the agent's mouth, "Whatever I say, stays between us. What do you want to know?"

"That woman — Miguel's other baby mama, is she apart of this?"

"I don't know for sure but I hear they're looking into it. Anything else?"

"Is Miguel apart of this?"

He briefly paused, "He's our top suspect."

Vanessa's heart dropped even more. She didn't think it could after finding about that woman. Now knowing that Miguel could be the reason for all of this, she didn't know what to do anymore. She felt like she was going to drop dead any second in that moment.

"Thank you." Her voice cracked, "I'll be touch."

She hung up and took in a deep sigh before heading back over to Cole. She told her that they were going to leave right then to go grocery shopping. Vanessa just wanted to set her mind to something else. She didn't want to think about it and she figured this was a good way to distract herself with the help of her daughter.

• • •

Jj and rossi were now looking around Vanessa's home. They were still trying to find some kind of evidence or anything that was missed by the slip of the eye. They had already gone to Miguel's earlier and there was nothing there. It was like the place was swept clean, which meant there's something to hide that someone didn't want finding out.

As jj looked around Vanessa's room, she suddenly sat down on the bed. Her hand was on her stomach, wincing in pain a little.

Rossi had come walking by and stopped as soon as he saw jj. He walked into the room and sat next to her.

"Everything ok?" He ask the blonde.

Jj winced again and before she could say anything, her water broke. She looked to rossi and he immediately pulled out his phone, calling an ambulance.

Soon enough, the ambulance arrived and jj was put in the back. Rossi notified the team and Garcia, notified will. Everyone couldn't stop what they were doing, which is why rossi had to stay at the house and keep looking. Even though at this time, a little light was soon going to be born in the midst of the darkness, the only person who could be there at that time was Will.

• • •

Jj laid in a room waiting for will. The baby was going to come at any moment and she needed someone by her side. To be frank, she's happy having the father of her baby be there but the one person who she knew that would just drop everything was in witness protection.

Soon enough, Will came through the door and the doctor. The doctors waited on behalf of Jennifer's request because Will was almost there and now since he was, it was time to go to the labor room.

She was rolled there with Will by her side. He was soon handed change wear with a hair net, mask, and gloves — just for precaution. The doctor sat on a stool and told jj to began pushing. He then told her again and that she was almost there. All it took was one more push and little Henry was now in the world.

A smile appeared on will's face as he was handed his little boy. He walked around and gently put Henry in jj's arms. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she looked at his small face.

As she stared into her baby's eyes, she couldn't help but croak, "I wish Vanessa was here — the team."

Though Will was a bit hurt by the slight brought up of Vanessa, all he could do was put his hand on jj's shoulder and just be in the moment because this possibly was one of their last.

a/n:
👀